The Birthplace of Route 66 Festival will take place on August 12, 13 and 14, 2016, in downtown Springfield and will offer three days of family fun and entertainment revolving around classic car and motorcycle shows, concerts and parades. Live music will once again be featured, with local, regional and national acts on various stages throughout downtown Springfield. Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven again will underwrite the two-day classic car show, which will kick off with the city of Springfields Birthplace of Route 66 Parade, located along the historic roadway (St. Louis) from Glenstone to Kansas.

The Gillioz Theatre, 325 Park Central East, Springfield, will host its Route 66 Signature Concert Series on Friday and Saturday, with iconic bluegrass and country artist Rhonda Vincent and Asleep at the Wheel playing Friday night and The Marshall Tucker Band taking the Gillioz stage on Saturday night. Tickets may be purchased here KY3 will stage a variety of activities throughout the weekend, including a free ice cream social on Park Central Square Friday evening hosted by Barry Williams, a.k.a. Greg Brady of TVs The Brady Bunch. The social will also include a full lineup of Branson entertainers, including Clay Cooper.

The Springfield-Greene County Park Board will once again host a drive-in movie in the lot on the north side of the Expo Center. Other 2016 festival events include the 6.6-mile Run/Walk through downtown Springfield, the Ozarks on Two Wheels motorcycle village offering live music, games, stunts and shows, and a poker run benefiting local veterans.

The annual confab of authors, artists, collectors and associations affiliated with Route 66 returns to the festival, 10 a.m.- 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13 and Sunday, Aug. 14 at the Old Glass Place, 501 E. St. Louis (east end of the car show). These folks will have displays with information about their products and services and will have their wares for sale. Come visit with them about Route 66 and see what they have to offer.

Festival-goers are invited to enjoy a Springfield Cardinals home game at Hammons Field both Friday and Saturday night, with a fireworks show following Friday nights game.

Festival background

• Started in 2010 as a small car show hosted by the West Central Neighborhood Alliance, has grown into a multi-day, multiple event festival with numerous partners and sponsors.

• Festival founders: Route 66 Association of Missouri, Elliot Lodging, Convention & Visitors Bureau, West Central Neighborhood Association.

• 2016 Underwriters: City of Springfield; KY3/KSPR/CW; Aaron Sachs & Associates / Ozarks on Two Wheels.

• 2016 Vintage Car Show Underwriter: Best Western Route 66 Rail Haven.

• Attendance growth: 2014: crowd of 4,000; 2015: crowd of 23,000.

To download an official Route 66 Festival guide go here.

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